Apparatus for reducing metal stock



June 28, 1932. 5, 5 1,865,304

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING METAL STOCK Filed July 2, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1ENVENTOR w'ge 3. (be

BY ,6??? wu mm ATTO R N EYS June 28, 1932. G. B. COE 1,865,304

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING METAL STOCK Filed July 2, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2im J30 INVENTOR 62mg? 25. (as

ATTORNEYS June 28, 1932. B cog 1,865,304

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING METAL STOCK Filed July 2, 1950 4 Sheets-$heet 3fi'. 7% Z W3 75 106' INVENTOR 590/92? 3. (be

ATTORNEYS June 28, 1932. G. B. COE

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING METAL STOCK Filed July 2, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR 62 0496 -3. (be M, 6MZ. /l mm ATTORNEYS Patented June 28, 1932UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- GEORGE B. COE, OF WATERB URY, CONNECTICUT,ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T TUBE REDUCING CORPORATION, OFWILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE APPARATUS FOR REDUCINGMETAL STOCK Application filed July 2, 1930. Serial No. 465,364.

This invention relates to apparatus for reducing metal stock and inparticular to. ap paratus for reducing the cross-sectional area oftubular stock by working it in successive Ll' increments toward thestarting end of the stock.

The object of the invention isto provide improvements in this art. Thenature and objects of the invention may best be under- .1 stood from thedisclosure of a selected embodiment of the invention given by way ofillustration. This will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on the line 4'4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section on 25 the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the llne 7-7 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of a detail along the line 88 of Fig. 7.The apparatus is of the type which reduces stock in successiverelatively short increments worked down toward the starting end of thestock. The tools for working upon the stock may be referred to as swagesbecause they act repeatedly and successively to reduce the stock. Thereare several known types of such tools or swages, all of which aresubstantially equivalent to gapped eccentric rolls. The presentapparatus employs (Fig. 7) oscillating rockers 10 journaled in areciprocating frame or saddle 11 slidably mounted on a base frame 12.The saddle is reciprooated by a connecting rod 13 actuated by a crankshaft 14. The shaft is driven by any suitable motive means. It iscounter balanced by a weight, 15. The rockers are constrained to havesubstantially a rolling movement along their adjacent edges. that is,their working faces are held by suitable means (not stock, and permitstubes to be fed into the machine over the rear end of the mandrel so asto travel to the reducing devices in endto-end relationshipcontinuously. This tail stock mechanism is not illustrated herein but aportion of the drive mechanism for the mandrel turning device isillustrated.

,Referring to Fig. 1, the mandrel turning drive mechanism comprises agear 20 on the main crank shaft 14, driving a gear 21 on a stub shaft22, the gear 21 in turn (Fig. 6) driving a gear 23 on a lay shaft 24.The lay shaft (Fig. 6) is mounted at one end in the base frame of themachine and at its outer end in a bearing in a depending bracket 25.

The lay shaft 24 also (Fig. 7) carries an eccentric or elliptical gear26 driving a similar gear 27 on a transverse shaft '28. This shaft 28atits inner end carries a bevel gear 29 meshing with a bevel gear 30 ona Geneva arm shaft 31. The shaft 31 (Fig. 3) carries a Geneva arm 32with a roller 33 and also a holding cam 34 for engaging notches in theGeneva disc 35 between turning movements.

The Geneva disc 35 is mounted on a tubular shaft 36 and is provided withslots 37 cooperating with the roller 33 of the arm 32 y and with arcuatenotches 38 cooperating with 90 the holding cam 34. There are enoughslots on the Geneva disc to provide smooth action of the parts. Hereinsix slots are used.

The shaft 36 is made tubular because it is located on the axis of travelof the stock and must permit the stock to pass therethrough. The bore ofthe shaft is made large enough to pass the largest stock the machinewill handle.

At its front end the tubular shaft 36 carries 100 a gear 39 meshing witha gear 40 rotatably mounted upon a stock turning shaft 41. Cooperatingwith the gear 40 is a clutch sleeve 42 slidably keyed on the shaft 41.The sleeve "shift arm 45 fast to a vertical shaft 46. The

shaft 46 is mounted in a bearing bracket 47. At its upperend it isprovided with a rigid arm 48 connected at its outer end by a pivot pin49 to an adjustable actuating link 50.

- The link is attached to a shift handle 51 journaled upon a stud shaft52 borne by the upstanding bracket 53.

The turning mechanism will operate and alternately rest because of theGeneva gear. It has only a short time to operate because it must operateat the end of the rocker stroke between the time the rockers release thestock "when approaching the end of their stroke and along the mandrel.

The feeding mechanism is of the type which engages the stockintermittently to feed it to the reducing device. Inasmuch as it isdesired that the stock move forward without interruption and withoutdismantling the machine, the feeding mechanism is referably of the typewhich is capable of ceding stock continuously one length after the otherto the reducing device.

Herein (Fig. 7) the feeding mechanism comprises gripper jaws 60 fordirectly engaging the outer longitudinal surface of the stock. Thesejaws (see also Fig. 5) are mounted in tapered guideways 61 formed inaTreeiprocatory feed frame 62 slidable along guide supports 63. Theframe is retained upon the guide supports 63 by plates 64 held by capbolts 65. The guide supports 63 are formed on the fixed feed mechanismsupportin frame previously mentioned, the same being secured to the baseframe 12 by cap bolts 66.

The jaws are interiorly roughened to engage and hold the stock. They areurged to move forward b coil springs 67 engaging their rear ends. hesprmgs at one end are seated in sockets 68 formed in the ends of thejaws and at their other ends engage annular steps formed on adjustingscrews 69. The adjusting screws are threaded through an extension 70formed on the reciproeable feed frame 62. The extension 70 has anaperture therethrough between the adjusting screws 69 to accommodate thestock.

Means are herein provided for causing the jaws to grip the stock andsubsequently causing the feed frame to move forward with the jaws tofeed the stock. It is preferable that the gripper actuating mechanism besome what resilient and act more or less independently of theforward-feeding mechanism, the latter being substantially positive inits operation.

The clamping and feeding operations are herein both accomplished throughthe same actuating device. Referring to Figs. 5 and 7 it is found thatbell-crank feed-and-clamp levers 72 are mounted upon journals 73 securedin the reciprocating frame 62. Bushings 74 are disposed between thejournals 73 and the levers 72. The journals may be retained in the frame62 by nuts 75. The entire assembly of movable parts may be retainedwithin the frame 62 by a cover plate 76 held by cap bolts 77. In Fig. 7the rear arms of levers 72 are shown in dot and dash lines for the sakeof making the sectional view more bolts 80. The other ends of the links78 are *1 similarly retained by plates 81 and bolts 82 within socketsformed in the adjacent ends of rock levers 83. The rock levers 83 arepivoted upon journals 84 secured in the fixed feed frame 55. The upperends of the journals 84 are held in spaced relation by a crossbar 85.The cross-bar and the rock arms are retained upon the journals 84 bynuts 86.

The outer ends of the rock levers 83 are provided with sockets to retainthe round ends of plunger push links 87, the parts being held togetherby plates 88 and bolts 89 as before. The front ends of the links 87 arerounded and fit within sockets formed in the rear ends of main plungers90. The connection is maintained as before by plates 91 and bolts 92.

The main plungers are slidable within barrels 93 attached to the fixedfeed frame 55 by cap bolts 94. At the front ends the plungers 90 areprovided with caps 95 screwed thereon. These caps have a central boreand are hardened on the annular surface on the end which is exposed.

Within bores 96 formed in the main plung-.

at their rear ends in counter-bores 98 and at their front ends are i,uided in the bores formed in the'caps 95. prings 99 encircling plungers97 and acting against heads 100 formed thereonconstantly tend to movethe clam plungers 97 out of the main plungers 90. he heads'100 incooperation with the caps 95 retain the main plungers 90.

which are exposed are threaded to receive nuts 102. The nuts 102 securebetween them the cross-bar 103 which is slipped loosely upon theextensions 101.

The outer ends of the extensions 101 are hardened to withstand theconstant striking action of associated arts. These ends are struck byportions 0 the saddle 11 when it approaches the rear end of its stroke.This acts first to push the clamp plungers 97 rearwardly against spring99 to push the main plungers rearwardly and through the related parts tocause the aws to close upon the stock. The jaws close by rearwardmovement and as is obvious the clamping action is resilient because themotion is transmitted through the springs 99. After the clamping actionhas been completed the rear nuts 102 bring up against the hardenedannular flange of the cap 95 and force the main plunger further towardthe rear, which causes the levers 72 and their journals to move forwardbodily, carrying with them the feed frame,

feed jaws and the stock. This secondary action is accomplished withoutthev interposition of springs and is therefore positive in its nature.

Means are provided for assisting the turning movement of the bell-crankclamp-andfeed levers 72 to cause the jaws to clamp the stock. Thecross-bar 103 comprises a part of these means. As shown in Fig. 1 thebar 103 at its central portion is provided with a push pin 105 uponwhich is loosely mounted a long coil spring 106. At the front end thespring engages a collar 107 formed on. the

push pin 105 and at its rear end engages a collar 108 attached byconnecting pins 109 to toggle arms 110 mounted on the bolts 80. The pushrod and spring are guided by spaced apertured brackets 112 held by 'capbolts 113. The rear end of the push rod 105 has a head 114 whichprevents the parts moving too far forward under the action of.

the spring. The spring is compressed when the feed moved rearward. Thismoves the collar 108 rearward also tending to straighten the'togglelinks and spread the rear arms of the bell-crank levers 72 apart. Whenthe action of the saddle on the plungers has ceased 103 to befreturn'edto its forward position. "a Means-are provided forreturnmg the re-"ci-procating'.' feed frame 62 'to its rearward position. As shown inFig. 8 this is accomplished by return plungers 116 mounted within'bor'es117 formed on each side of the frame 62. The plungers 116 areprovided I with stems 118 extending outward through lungers 97 withinthe he plungers 97 extend through the caps 95 and the extensions 10'1-openingsformed in small counterbores of the bores 117. Springs 119disposed in the bores 117 and'a'ctingbetween the bases of the bores andthe rear'ends' of the plungers 116 tend to force ,thefplungers out oftheir bores. The plun ers at their front ends enga e fixed upstan ingabutments 120. The p ungers are retainedwithin the bores by nuts 121thread ed on the stems 118. The nuts may be tightened in differentpositions to adjust the length of movement of the plungers 116. It willbe seen that this mechanism constantly urges the feed frame 62rearwardly. 1

The feed frame 62 is limited in its rearward movement by stop pins 122screwed into the rearend of the frame. The ends of the stop ins 122 arehardened and, as shown in Fig. are adapted to engage abutments 123 whenthe frame moves rearwardly.

Means are provided for holding the feed frame for a time after it hasbeen moved forward. When so held, the jaws will be kept the sprmgexpands again causing the bar I firmly clamped upon the stock due totheir 1 levers about their pivots and clamp the jaws.

for thef plungers comprises removable side Thenuts 102' are so adjustedthat the spring action is not completed before the clamping occurs.Adjustment of the nuts 102 also regulates the amountof stock feed. Thereis a short period after clamping and before feeding in which themovement of the saddle is taken up in the inter osed springs. Thereafterthe feeding ta es place through the action of the saddle upon the mainplungers whichcause the bell crank levers to move forward bodilycarrying their journals, the feed frame in which the journals aremounted, the jaws and the stock. The matter of holding the stock forwardafter feeding assists the action of the rockers upon the stock,especially when, starting to work on a new length of stock.

The holding means herein illustrated comprise (Figs. 1 and 3) hooks 125secured to the 'feed franiefby cap bolts 126. The hooks dfl ltchl 127.hiing mechanism acts by the bar 103ybe1ng engage p ungers w ch areslidablyniounted in guides 128 formed on a J cross member 129. One sideof the openings walls' 130lheld by cap bolts 131. The crossmember129isjretained by cap bolts 132 passing through slotted holes 133in the member which by this mounting is Permitted longi tudinal slidingmovement or adjusting 1ts position.

The cross member 129 is adjusted by a set screw 134 provided with a head134a held within -a recess of member 129 by a retaining plate 135. Theset screw is threaded through an upstanding bracket 136 (see also Fig.4) held to a fixed part by cap bolts 137.

. Normally the latch plungers 127 are urged upward into engagingposition (Fig. 4) by coil springs 127a.

Means are rovided for actuatin the latch plungers. e guide members 1 8for the lungers 127 are rovided with vertical slots in the side thereofor movement of stud pins 138 secured to the plungers. Links 139 arepivoted at one end to the pins 138 and at the other end to pivot pins140 to connect them to arms 141 fast on a latch release shaft 142.

At its outer end the shaft 142 (Fi 2) is provided with an arm 143pivoted y pin 144 to a link 145. The link 145 at its other end ispivoted by pin 146 to a cam lever 147 mounted on ajournal 148. Thejournal is carried by a bracket 149 secured to a fixed part by cap bolts150. At its outer end the cam lever 147 carries a cam follower roller151,c0operating with a cam 152 secured to the main crank shaft 14.

The links 145 provide for moving the latch lungeis in an position of thecross memr on which t ey are carried. The operation of the holdingmechanism will 'be obvious. Usually turning of the stock occurs when thesaddle is at the'front end of its stroke so the cam 152 is set torelease the stock from the feeding mechanism before the turning actionis begun.

In operation the saddle 11 as it approaches the rear end of its strokecomes against the ends of the clamp plungers 97. This moves the plungersrearwardly and they first act through the interposed plunger springs 99and the described linkage to move the jaws 60 rearwardl in theirinclined guides against the light springs 68 to clamp the stock. Furtherrearward movement of the plungers 97 brings them solidly against the endof the barrels 93 to eliminate the action of the rings 99 and throughthe same linkage as t at by which clamping was effected to move the feedframe 62 forward. This is possible because the pivots 73 for the jawclamping levers 72 are borne by the frame. In this movement the returnspring 106 is compressed between the bar 103 and the toggle arms 110.

When the feed frame is moved forward to feed the stock it is caught bythe latches 127 and is held forward, and although the saddle 11withdraws on the return movement thereof from the plungers the jaws willbe the clamp and feed linkage will be held in the same position as theyoccupied when operated by the plungers 90. This will hold the stock fastuntil the rockers have had an opportunityto begin reducing itsufiiciently so that when the stock is released it will not move.

.14 acts upon the cam roller 151 on the lever 147 and through thelinkage described releases the latches 127. The spring 106 then expandsto force the cross bar 103 and associated plungers 97 forward and bymutual interaction to force the tog le levers 110 and associated partsrearward y to release the jaws and move the feed frame rearwardly.

One embodiment of the invention has been described in detail forpurposes of illustration. It is to be understood, however, thatmodifications are permitted within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is 1. In apparatus for reducing stock progressively inrelatively short increments of length, comprising in combination,gripping jaws, rearwardly convergent guides along which said jaws slide,a feed frame in which said jaws are mounted, said frame moving in anopposite direction to feed from the direction in which said. jaws slideto clamp the stock, a bell crank lever journaled on said feed frame, amain plunger connected by linkage to said lever, an auxiliary plungermounted in said main plunger and a spring tending to cause relativemovement therebe- After a short time the cam 152'on the shaft tween,means striking the end of said auxiliary plunger to cause said leverfirst to clamp said aws through resilient spring action and subsequentlyto cause said feed frame to move to feed the stock, and means-to restoresaid parts to initial positions.

2. In apparatus for reducing stock pro gressively in relatively shortincrements of length comprising in combination, grip ing jaws,rearwardly convergent guides a ong which said jaws slide, a slidablefeed frame in which said jaws are mounted, a bell crank lever journaledin said frame, one end of said lever engaging the end of a jaw to moveit endwise to clamp the stock when said lever is rotated about its axis,and said lever moving forward bodily with its pivot and the feed frameto feed the stock, resilient means for clamping and POSltiVG means forfeeding, both means acting through said lever.

3. In apparatus for reducing stock progressively in relatively shortincrements of length, comprising in combination, clamping jaws mountedin a slidable feed frame, clampfeed members acting to clamp said jawsand subsequently to slidesaid frame, and means for actuating saidmembers including interposed resilient devices, the resilient devicesnot being sufliciently strong to producefeeding action but actingthroughout the time of clamping and for a short period thereafter.

4. In apparatus for reducing stock in successive relatively shortincrements of length, comprising in combination, a slidable feed frame,feed jaws slidably mounted therein, clamp-feed levers mounted on saidframe for clamping said jaws and subsequently sliding said frame, andcoordinating plungers acted upon successively by a striking device foroperating said levers.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination, afixed frame, a feed frame slidably mounted therein, jaws slidablymounted in said frame, clamp feed levers journaled on the feed frame, aset of two plungers successively acted upon by a striker and bothmovable in one direction to rotate said levers and translate them in thedirection opposite to said plunger movement, and means for assisting therotation of said levers for clamping, said means comprising a cross .barconnected to said plungers, a spring plunger connected at one end tosaid cross bar, a spring thereon, a collar at the other end of thespring through which said spring plunger is slidable, members connectedto said collar and said levers to spread their ends apart and a head onsaid spring plunger to limit its movement in the reverse direction.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination a feedframe slidable forward to feed, rotatable means mounted thereon, rocklevers and rearwardly moving plungers to operate said levers to rotatethem and subsequently slide them together with the feed frame, meansacting on said levers to assist in rotating them and thereafter tendingto restore the levers and plungers to original position, and means forrestoring said feed frame to original position. 7. Apparatus of thecharacter described comprising in combination, a feed frame slidableforward to feed, rotatable meansmounted thereon, rock levers andrearwardly movmg plungers to operate said levers to rotate them andsubsequently slide them together with the feed frame, and means actingmutu- [ally on said levers and plungers to restore them to originalposition. 1 :'8. Apparatus of the character described comprisingincombination, a slidable feed frame, .feed jaws therein which are keptclamped when said frame is held in a forward position, latches to holdsaid frame forward, a member supporting said latches, and {)neeans foradjusting the position-of said mem- 9. Apparatusof the characterdescribed comprising in combination, a slidable feed frame, a latch tohold'said frame in a position to which it has been moved, means foradjusting the axial location of said latch, and latch actuating meansoperative thereon in all adjusted locations thereof.

10. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination, aslidable feed frame, a latch to hold said frame in a position to whichit has been moved, means for adjusting the axial location of said latch,and latch actuating means operative thereon Hi all adjusted locationsthereof, said means comprising a rotatable cam and linkages fortransmitting motion of the cam to said latch.

11. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination, aslidable feed frame, means for moving said frame in one direction andmeans for returning said frame, said returning means comprising aplunger mounted in said frame, a spring urging said plunger therefrom,an abutment against which the exposed end of said plunger contacts, astem on said plunger extending through said frame and means adjustableon said stem for adjusting the length of movement of said plunger.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 in which an abutment and stop isprovided to limit the return movement of said feed frame.

18. In apparatus for reducing stock comprising in combination,intermittently operating reducing devices, means for feeding the stockrelative to said reducing devices, a hollow shaft forming part of adrive train for operating a part of said apparatus, the opening throughsaid shaft being continuous and of a size to pass said stock, and meansto rotate said shaft.

14. Apparatus for reducing stock in successive relatively shortincrements of length, comprising in combination a reciprocable frame foroperating stock reducing devices, devices for intermittently grippingthe stock in timed relation with the operation of said frame, and meansincluding a striker and a resiliently pressed plunger for actuating saidstock gripping devices to grip and feed the stock, the actuating meansfor said gripping June, 1930.

GEORGE B. COE.

